A conference exploring ways to help children and their families is planned for October 15, 2011 at Maine Maritime Academy. Planners of the conference include Gil Tenney, a retired businessman and Nancy Sayre, Ph.D., an expert in early child development, both of Castine, and Jon Wilson, a Brooklin resident known to many through his affiliation with the Wooden Boat School.
The conference, which will run from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., will feature several special speakers and a working lunch. There is no charge to participants. Conference organizers hope that a broad cross-section of the community will attend, including parents, educators, business owners, healthcare providers, and church leaders.
Steve Rowe will speak on the economics of investing in young children. After graduating from West Point and fulfilling a six year tour of duty, Rowe worked for Fairchild Semiconductor and UNUM. He served eight years in the Maine House of Representatives and was elected speaker of the house. He then served as Maine state attorney general. He has returned to his law practice in Portland specializing in mediation. Rowe is a leading advocate for early childhood development based on his experience as a single father of young children.
Marjorie Withers will address the topic of what makes collaborations effective. Withers is the founder and executive director of the Community Caring Collaborative (CCC) in Washington County. The CCC is developing a seamless, family-driven, culturally-competent, strength-based, public-health-oriented service system for children and families.
A third speaker is Jon Wilson. In addition to founding WoodenBoat Magazine, Wilson has become known as a leader in the restorative-justice movement. Through JUST Alternatives, a nonprofit which he founded in 2003, Wilson developed an intensive process of preparing and facilitating meetings between survivors of violent crimes and their offenders. Wilson will facilitate a group luncheon to help identify next steps in a community collaborative around the needs of young children and their families.
Conference sponsors include United Way of Eastern Maine, Bangor Savings Bank, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Maine Children’s Growth Council, Maine Community Foundation, Maine Maritime Academy, Wooden Boat, and the Castine Advocacy Coalition for Early Education. “This conference is possible because of the generosity of many individuals and organizations,” explains Tenney. “We represent different communities and life experiences, but all of us care about the future of our children.”
For additional information on the conference call Gil Tenney at 326-4372. To register, call Karen Tolstrup at United Way of Eastern Maine at (207) 941-2800, extension 223 or email karent@unitedwayem.org. Online registration is available.